Reverse-plaiting knitting machine



April lo; 192s. 1,666,056 C. EPPS .REVERSE PLAITING KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 26/- a oI WITNESSE TORNEYS April 1o, 1928. A wsaoss C. EPPS REVERSE PLAITING KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1924 3 Shets-Sheet 2 l FIG- I W1 r/vEssEs: Z0 INVENTUR:

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April 1o, 192s. 1,66%,056

C. EPPS REVERSE PLAITING KNITTING MACHINEl Filed June 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNSSES.-

ATTORNEYS.

Y HIWM Patented Apr. l0, 1928.

U l T E CARL EPPS', OF ATHENS, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO CLIMAX HOSIEB'Y MILLS, OFIATHENS,

GEORGIA, A CORPORATION 0F GEORGIA. a

REVERSE-PLAITING KNITTING MACHINE.

application filed :une 3, 1924. serial No. 717,466.

lof two or more yarns of different kinds dis:

tinguishable in the knitted fabric by contrast of quality, finish, or color. Tol obtain pattern effect-s by the plaiting method heretofore, it has been generally customary to employ a body yarn to provide the base of the fabric, and to plait upon such base with the contrasting yarns. Such procedure, as is well understood by skilled knitters, requires cutting with each interchange of the yarns employed in plaiting thereby leaving objectionable loose ends at the regions where substitutions take place. The main object of my invention is to enable production of pattern effects by plaiting without necessitating any change or cutting of yarns whatever; and this desideratum is attained by simultaneously and continuously feedingseveral yarns with incidental manipulation between them, whereby the feeding relation is varied to determine appearance of one 0r another upon the face of the fabric in accordance with the pattern desired.

The invention is also concerned with` means whereby plaiting, modified in accordance with the above considerations, may be conveniently carried out.

Other objects together with attendant advantages accruing to my invention will be manifested in thedetail description which follows of a typical embodiment thereof, the appended claims serving to define those features which I believe to be novel and therefore patentable. l

In the drawings Fig. I vis a side elevation of a standard type of circular stocking knit. ting machine with the present invention applied thereto.

Figure'II is a front elevation of the machine. certain portions being broken away and illustrated in section so as to avoid concealment of important details.

Fig. III isa plan view of the tension device forming a part of the means whereby the yarns are manipulated in the course of being simultaneously and continuously fed to the needles of the machine.

Fig. IV is .a'front elevation of said tension device. 1

Fig. V is a side elevation of they same as viewed from Vthe left of Fig. III.

l the usual manner.

- This device 25 is arrange Fig. VI is a cross sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VI-VI in Fig. III.

Fig. VII shows a stocking kuit in accordance with my invention; and,

Fig. VIII is a diagrammatic illustration of the fragment of the fabric bounded by thev` dotted rectangle VIII in Fig. VII.

The machine herein shown is equipped with a cylinder 1 for guidance of needles 2, said cylinder being adapted to be driven in 'the usual way. by belt power applicable -to pulleys 3 mounted on the main drive shaft 4, that is appropriately journaled in the machine frame, comprehensively designated by theV numeral 5. The machine may also comprise a ser/ies of yarn feeds, one such being shown-at 6 in Fig. II-as pivoted upon a fulcrum axis 7, carried by the retractable latch guard ring 8 that normally overhangs the needle cylinder 1. The yarn feed 6 is, after common practice, operable from beneath by a lever 9 fulcrumed at 10 to a fixed standard 11l Whereto the latch guard 8 is pivoted, said standard rising vertically from the bed plate 12 which supports the needle cylinder 1. Motion is imparted to the lever 9 through an interposed downwardly ex= tending rod 13 connectedto a finger 14 that is fulcrumed on a lixed stud 15 and lies in the path of a cam projection 16 on a rotatable drum 17. This drum 17 is xedto the counter-shaft 18 that carries the sprocket wheel 19 for the pattern chain 20 lwhereby the various sub-mechanisms of'a knitting machine of this character are controlled in The yarn feed 6, herein shown, is doubly pierced as at 21, 22l so as to be capable of simultaneously directing two yarns Y, Y of different kinds (in this instance of contrasting colors), to the needles 2 of the machine, guidance en route to the feed 6 being assisted by an apertured plate 23 sustained at a Vsuitable elevation by the .latch guard 8.

The yarns Y, Y are supplied from bobbins B, B supported upon an extension bracket 24 of the machine frame 5, and pre` vious tobeing fed to the needles 2, are subjected to the action of a reversible tension device generally indicated b the numeral 25. for attachmentto the branched top member 26 of the yarn guide tree which may be of conventional construction and mounted to the upper end of a fixed st-em or post 27 The tension device 25 comprises an angular bracket 28 whose vertical leg is formed with a laterally projecting lug 29 whereby it may be conveniently secured.. to the tree member 26 with the aid of oneor more screws 30. As shown in Figs. lill to V, from each side ot the horizontal portion of the bracket 28 depend a series of spaced integral ears 31 to each of which is fastened a spool-shaped friction member 32 preferably of porcelain or other similar smooth hard-surfaced material, the axial screws 33 employed in securing said friction members servin to hold them fixed against rotation. ivotally mounted in opposed relation between common bearing lugs 34, 35, respectively at opposite ends of the horizontal portion of the bracket 28, are two independently-swingable multi-armed yarn guide members 36, 37 each comprising a longitudinal bar 38 from which the extremities 39 project. At the end of each of the extremities 39 is secured a guide eye 40, and it is to be observed that in each instance the extremities 39 are alternately disposed with regard to the respective groups of the friction members 32 with which they are designed to cooperate. rlhe pivoted guide members 36, 37 are subject to springs 41, 42 extending from collars adjustable on vertical posts 43, 'said posts being appropriately anchored in the bracket 28. The springs 41, 42 tend to draw upon the guide members 36, 37 so that the latter carry the yarns Y, Y into contact respectively with the corresponding series of friction members 32, screws 44 adjustable in the bracket 28 functioning to limit the free upward movement of said yarn guide members. To the front of the bracket 28 is pivoted a double-armed rock lever 45 having its ends turned laterally as at 46, 47 so as to overlie the contiguous extremities 39 of the yarn guide members 36, 37 as shown in Figs. Ill and IV. Thus as the rock lever 45 is swung clock-wise about its pivot in accordance with Fig. IV against the pull of a contractile spring 48, its end 47 depresses the yarn guide 37 to carry the yarn Y below the province of the corresponding group of vfriction members 32; while at the same time. the end 46 of said lever is elevated to an extentsutlicient to release the yarn guide` member 36 to its spring 41 so that the yarn Y is carried upwardly into engagement Y with the group of friction members 32 at that side of the device 25. With the various parts positioned as just described, it will be seen that the yarn Y' ispermitted t0 run slack, while the yarn Y is tensioned to the extent of the friction imposed thereupon by virtue of the devious or undulatory course which it is obliged to follow in passin about the group of friction members 32 wlth which the yarn guide member 36 is associated. As a result of this difference in relative tensions, the

ieaoea Referring again to Figs. l and lll it will bei lnoted that the yarns Y, Y in being drawn from the bobbins vB, B are passed for directional guidance through depending guides` 49 of the tree member 26 so as to enter the eyes 40 of the swingable varn guides 36. 37 of the device 25 substantially in a direct line Without imposing vany .drag thereon.

Als a convenientmeans for controlling the rock lever 45 of the tension device 25 to selectively actuate the yarn guides 36, 37, llunay employ .special links 50 on the pattern chain `2O, said special links 50 having cam rises 51 adapted to successively swing a finger 52 about a fulcrum stud 53 on the machine frame 5. A leaf spring 54 secured to the inner side of the machine frame 5 and bearing against a projection 55 of the finger 52, acts to maintain the latter at all times in operative engagement with the pattern chain 20. 'lhe movements of the finger 52 are transmitted through a connecting rod lill) 56 to the rock lever 45 of the tension device 25, said rod being composed o two parts relatively adjustable throughinterposition of a double-apertured slide collar 57 provided with set screws 58.

ln operation, as the pattern chain 20 is intermittently progressed by the usual l mechanism (not shown) provided for this purpose, the high links 50 are successively brought 'beneathl the finger 52 with the resultthat the latter is swung todraw the rod 56 downwardly and thereby position the rock lever 45 of the tension device 25, as

lll() shown in full lines in the several illustraf tions. When the finger 52- drops off -a special link 50 on to a Succeeding plain link of the chain 20. the rock lever 45 is swung counterclock-wise to reverse the tensional feeding relation of the yarns Y, Y as already explained. As a result of such periodic operation, the stocking produced by the machine will be characterized by contrasting horizontal stripes as shown at S, S in Fig. VH, the exact relation of the yarns Y, Y in the fabricv being diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. VIII. A pattern chain 20 with alter-y nating high and plain links, such as herein shown, obviously determines stripes of uniform width, since the tensional reversal of the yarns is obliged to take place riodically at regularly recurring interva s. j Variation may, however, be had by 4lengthening the intervals between the special links 50, for

example, by inserting more than single interbut with shorter rises; or again by combining the several arrangements suggested. Moreover, if desired, plaiting may be practised in accordance with my invention in alternation with other forms of knitting by employment of additional interchangeable feeds such as ordinarily associated with a double feed of the type illustrated in standard knitting machines, thereby permitting occasion substitution of other yarns in place of the simultaneously fed yarns Y, Y' under governance of the feed control drum 17;

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that my invention is readily applicable to` all modern types of knittingmachines withontrequiring any changes or alterations in them other than possible of easy accomplishment by any mechanic schooled in the knitting arts. l l Y. Having thus described my invention, I claim: l

1. The combination in a knitting machine equipped with needles and actuating mechanism therefor, of automatically operative means effective to alternately tension and slack feeding yarns of different kinds to determine alternate appearance of one or another of said yarns on the face of the fabric; said means comprising a bearing bracket with spool-like friction members, in-

dividual guides independently 'swingable tov vertically elevate the yarns respectively into and out of engagement with the yfriction members, and pattern means controlling movement of said guides to vary the tension and slack feeding relation as between the yarns.

2. The combination in'la knitting machine i eguippedwith needles and actuating mechanism therefor, of automatically operative a means effective to alternately tension and slack feeding' yarns of different kinds to determine alternate appearance of one or another ofjsaid yarns on the face ofthe fab r1c;said means including a bracket supporting spool-like'friction members, opposed independently swingablemulti-armed guides pivoted in the bracket with the arms alternating bet-Ween the friction. members and having terminal eyes adapted to carry `the yarns respectively into and out of .engagementrwith the friction members, and pattern means controlling swinging of the guides to vary the tension and slack feeding'relation rockable lever aforesaid.

.as between the yarns.

3. The combination iria knitting machine equipped with needles and actuating mechanism therefor, of automatically opera/tive means effective to alternately tension and ric; said means comprising an angii I sustaining spool-like friction members, a multi-armed,

slack feeding yarns of diferentfkinds to determine alternate appearance of one or another of said yarnsonldthe face of'the fabric; said means comprisingan angle bracket supportingstationary frictionmembers, a multi-arined guide foreach yarn pivoted in the bracketwith the arms thereof alternating between the friction members, individual springs influencing the guides to. normally carry the yarns into engagement With the friction members, and pattern means for controlling selective actuation of the guides bers, :individually associated springs. influen'cing the guides to normally carry their yarns i. into engagement with thev friction*A members, a rockable double-armed lever with its terminal ends overlying and adapted to swing the guides alternativelyto Withdraw their respective yarns from the friction members,A and pattern means controlling actuation of said lever.

5. The combination in a Aknitting machine' equipped With needles and actuating mechanisni therefor, of automatically operative means effective to alternately'tension vand vslack feeding yarns of different kinds to determine alternate appearance of one or another of said yarns on the face of the yfabbracket with depending ears independently A swingable guide ,for each lar A yarn pivoted between commonl bearing lugs' *Y on the aforesaid bracket, individual springs` influencing the guides' to norn'ially carry.l

their yarns into engagement with the frietion members, a double-armed rockable lever having its terminals laterall turned to overlie V44'the contiguous. ends o spective ,yarns from the friction members, a pattern control chain with special high Iand swing .the guides alternatlvely to withdraw thelr relinks, a spring influenced finger subject to said links, and a Vconnecting rod `whereby movement of the finger is 'transmitted to the 'In testimony' whereof. I have hereunto signed my name at Athens, Georgia, this 27th day of May, 1924.

' l CARL EPPS. 

